EMPIRE'S MILITARY FORCES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 68, 29 June 1910, Page 5

EMPIRE'S MILITARY FORCES

DUTIES OF THE INSPECTORGENERAL. FASHIONING THE ARMIES ON THE ONE PATTERN. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Received June 2S. 9.30 p.m. London, June 28. The House of Commons to-day discussed the Army Estimates. Mr. G. Wyndhaan (Conservative member for Dover) said the Mediterranean command might bring a prominent soldier into delicate relations with the British representative in 'Egypt and the representatives of the self-governing dominions. Mr. R. Faldane (Minister for War) declared the representatives of the dominions at the conference held in August had agreed to endeavor to fashion the armies of the Empire upon a single pattern. An inspector-general of overseas forces was now required. Major-General French was a much overworked gneral. Sir lan Hamilton was not only a soldier of great distinction, but had commanded Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders in the field. In the event of war Sir lan Hamilton ■would be empowered to co-ordinate strategy along the great military 'highway, joining the East and West. Hence Malta wou'.d be his headquarters for two or three months, but he would sit on tJhe Defence Committee in London during the rest of the year. His salary would be five thousand pounds annually. BRITISH SECOND LINE OF DEFENCE. THE QUESTION OF COMPULSORY TRAINING. BASED ON A MISCONCEPTION. Received June 28, 10.40 p.m. London, June 28. Mr. Haldane proceeded to say that the desire for the compulsory training of the British second lime was ibased on a strategical misconception. It was impossible for more *han seven hundred thousand (a later cable says that prob- . aibly seventy thousand was meant) to evade the fleet, and there were six hundred 4ihousand to oppose them. If the expeditionary. force were away, three Hundred thousand would still be left to defend Britain. It was estimated that 600,000 hotses out of 1,600,000 in Britain were useful for Army purpose's. Half a million would be sufficient for mobilisation and wastage. Mr. Haldane added that Lord Carrington was formulating a scheme ] whereby three-year-old horses bred from registered maTes and stallions would be purchased from farmers at £3O apiece. Mr. Lee declared the Government made out a good case for the appointment of an inspector-general of the overseas-forces, but it was impossible to combine it, with the Mediterranean command. The inspector's duties would Tequire his whole time.